Assistance for Business Clinics

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Montana Department of Revenue, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, US Department of Labor, and Montana Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve in partnership with local Chamber of Commerce, Job Service Employer Committees (JSEC), and Montana State University will host the Assistance for Business Clinics (ABC) statewide.

The Assistance for Business Clinics are designed to provide new and established businesses, accountants, bookkeepers, human resource professionals and attorneys with updated information on topics such as: Montana Department of Revenue’s new Form MW-4 and their E-Services, Unemployment Insurance Tax requirements, workers’ compensation coverage, Independent Contractor regulations, using Labor Market Information to make business decisions, the Registered Apprenticeship Program, tax incentives, minimum wage, overtime, new hire reporting, and USERRA laws and regulations.

Presenters:

Montana Department of Revenue:

The Department of Revenue will provide a broad overview of the taxes administered by the department. The focus of the presentation will center on E-File applications that will aid the business in their filing requirements.

US Department of Labor:

This workshop will provide an overview of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) including employer coverage; employee eligibility; qualifying reasons for leave; amount of leave; employer and employee rights and responsibilities.

Montana Department of Labor & Industry:

In this presentation the presenter will review the basics of the Montana Workers’ Compensation System and discuss changes to medical benefits through the new drug formulary. In addition, the financial impact of uninsured employers on system costs will be discussed, focusing understanding insurance modification factors for employers. Participants will be guided through a series of questions and answers that respond to common employer concerns.

Compliance & Investigations Bureau

The Compliance & Investigations Bureau acts as a neutral party to assist the public by answering questions, investigating complaints, inspecting job locations, and resolving disputes in a variety of areas related to labor laws. Some of the specific areas include:

Wage and Hour

Child Labor

Prevailing Wage

Worker’s Compensation

Independent Contractors

Contractor Registration

Worker/Employer Relationship questions

Collective Bargaining

The Bureau also provides educational outreach in all these areas and is responsible for providing mediation assistance and interest based bargaining training to public employers and public employee labor organizations. Additionally, the Bureau staffs the Board of Personnel Appeals.

Job Service Montana - Labor Market Information

The Labor Market Information session will include local, regional and statewide statistical data. Attendees will learn how occupational data can be utilized for setting and maintaining rates of pay for staff and for maintaining job market competitiveness, by utilizing current wage data for recruiting and retention purposes. Subject matter will include how projections and industry data can be utilized for strategic planning and economic development including: staff training and development, addressing potential work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities, and analyzing current industry trends.

Unemployment Insurance Contributions

Effective January 1, 2019, the Montana Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division adopted new administrative rules regarding quarterly UI report filing. Going forward, employers with 20 or more employees during any one quarter of the previous calendar year and all third-party agents filing reports on behalf of employers, are required to file quarterly UI reports electronically in a format acceptable to the Division. In addition to explaining subject wages and reporting requirements, the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Bureau will present web services – UIeServices@mt.gov. Employers will learn how to e-file quarterly reports and make payments, view benefit charges and other correspondence, and how to send and receive messages from the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Bureau. Payroll preparers from accounting firms and bookkeeping services are highly encouraged to attend as we explain the process for enrolling clients, demonstrating how to file returns individually or by utilizing bulk services. We also explain how to upload payroll exported to Excel, amend returns, and more. Montana Unemployment Insurance worked with Intuit to provide QuickBooks users a more efficient way to e-file UI reports and pay the tax due and that process will be explained. There are many new and improved services available on our UI eServices for Employers web portal and we are excited to share it with the public!

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Provides an overview of the Unemployment Insurance Benefit Program. Participants will learn about the program from an employer perspective. Employers play an intricate part in the integrity of the UI program by providing complete, accurate and timely information when requested. This ensures proper benefit payments to claimants and proper charging of employer accounts. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the types of information needed by the Department to properly administer the program. The Bureau also touches on the types of UI claims and employer accounts, the rights and requirements of both claimants and employers when claims are filed, and how quits and discharges impact eligibility and charges to employer accounts. The Division’s efforts to detect, prevent and reduce fraud in the Unemployment Insurance Program are also covered during the presentation.

Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, and agency of the Department of Defense, presents an overview of the Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act as it pertains to the employment of Guard and Reserve members. ESGR works to develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees.

Department of Public Health and Human Services:

Child Support Enforcement Division

The Child Support Enforcement Division is pleased to present information to participants on the New Hire Reporting Program and Child Support processes as it pertains to the employer/employee relationship. This interactive presentation will provide helpful information on cost effective and time efficient Electronic Services, New Hire Reporting, Income Withholding Orders, Orders to Enroll for Health Coverage, Child Support Payments, Bonus & Lump Sum Payments, Notice of Employee Terminations, and Federal and State contacts. The presenter will be available after the presentation for questions.